Chemotherapy drug shortages cause headache for doctors, patients
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Shortages in chemotherapy medicine, specifically, carboplatin, have been causing issues in the medical field for patients, doctors and pharmacists.
According to the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the FDA reported on the shortage in February, and now its effects are being seen here in Missouri.
Dr. Andrew Iliff, -- an oncologist with Missouri Medical Associates -- said in the shortage became noticeable in the past few weeks.
"In the last week or two we have noticed that we’re just running out of drugs that we would traditionally treat patients with for certain cancers,” Iliff said.
Due to the shortage, doctors have had to switch to alternate drugs that can be just as effective.
"We’re just used to having a steady inventory of drugs. So it’s just been shocking when generic medications that have been around for decades, you’re running into just not having access to it,” continued Iliff.
It is unclear when the shortage will resolve, but for now doctors like Iliff are shocked.
“I find it absolutely outrageous that its the year 2023 and the richest country in the entire world and we're running into issues where we’re running out of generic chemotherapy drugs,” he said.
The American Cancer Society stated in a May 12 press release that the FDA and the drug manufacturers are working to resolve the shortage, and urging other manufacturers of the same product to increase production.
